CALL FOR PAPERS - 2019 SUSTAINING COLORADO WATERSHEDS CONFERENCE: "THE HUMAN ELEMENT" October 8 - 10, 2019 at the Westin Riverfront Resort, Avon, CO. You are cordially invited to submit ideas for presentations at the 14th Annual Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference. The 2019 conference will explore the influence of The Human Element on water and watersheds in Colorado and the West. This highly popular event expands cooperation and collaboration throughout our state for natural resource conservation, protection, and enhancement by informing citizens groups, agencies, legislators, researchers, and practitioners about current issues and through networking opportunities. To learn more and submit your abstract go to, SCW Call For Papers.
Ag Producers - take the Ag Watershed Survey and be eligible to win up to $100 in Cabela's or Bass Pro gift cards! Colorado Cattlemen’s Association's Ag Water NetWORK is initiating a survey of agricultural producers to determine their familiarity and interest in watershed management plans. Take the survey HERE.
APRIL 3rd, 2019: State of the River Meeting with Colorado River District, Community Agriculture Alliance, and Yampa-White-Green Basin Roundtable. Steamboat Community Center, 1597 Lincoln Ave., Steamboat Springs. Free dinner served at 5:30 p.m. - homemade soup and salad by Routt County Master Gardeners. Program starts promptly at 6:00 p.m. Check out the flyer HERE.
The draft summary of the March 2019 Permit Issues Forum (PIF) meeting has been posted to the PIF page of the Water Quality Forum Website HERE. The mission of the Colorado Water Quality Forum is to achieve solutions to Colorado water quality issues through communication and understanding, balancing use, and protection of the resource. Please review and provide any revisions by April 8th, 2019, to Justine Beckstrom, JCB@vrlaw.com. The summary will then be finalized and re-posted.
APRIL 10th, 2019: Yampa-White-Green Basin Roundtable Meeting. Visit their website HERE for more information.
APRIL 10th, 2019: The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists will partner with the Colorado Riparian Association for their annual meeting in Golden, CO. The meeting is expected to bring together over 150 researchers, students, government scientists, private sector consultants, and other wetland practitioners. It will cultivate scientific exchanges between diverse groups of professionals involved in stream and wetland stewardship around the region. Find more details HERE and register HERE.
APRIL 10th, 2019: Watershed Wildfire Protection Group Meeting 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Location TBD: in Summit County or Golden. Check HERE for updates,
APRIL 12th, 2019: Priority deadline for scholarship applications for the 2019 Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days Conference! A limited number of scholarships will be made available for individuals with a demonstrated financial need. Click HERE to submit the online scholarship application form.
The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are proposing to significantly narrow the scope of the Clean Water Act, one of the Nation’s most effective natural resource laws. Comment deadline is APRIL 15th. Find out more on Trout Unlimited’s website HERE.
The Water Quality Control Division (division) is requesting surface water quality data for the triennial review of water quality classifications and standards for the South Platte River basin. This effort requires the compilation of recent water quality parameters including biological, physical, chemical, and other related data. These data will be assessed by the division to develop recommendations to the Water Quality Control Commission for maintaining or modifying water quality classifications and standards for the South Platte basin. These data will also be used in the development of the 2020 303(d) List of Impaired Waters. Please submit data to the division by April 15th, 2019. Additional information is available at the division website HERE.
APRIL 25th: Reg. 84 Stakeholder meeting (9-11 a.m.) CDPHE Main Campus, Room C1A
We are in the middle of hosting a stakeholder process regarding the use of reclaimed water to irrigate commercial and noncommercial crops. The stakeholder process runs from October 2018 through May 2019. During the process several work groups have been formed. Work groups collaborate to develop information to present to the commission during the rulemaking in October 2019. Your participation and input is encouraged. Visit the Regulation 84 stakeholder website HERE.
APRIL 25th, 2019: Consortium for Research and Education on Emerging Contaminants (CREEC) meeting will be at 2:00 p.m. at a location to be determined. Brett Blackwell from EPA in Duluth will be one of the presenters. Details to follow. Learn more about CREEC HERE.
Early Bird Discounts for the San Juan Mining & Reclamation Conference Sponsors. Currently, the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership is seeking sponsors and exhibitors to sign up to financially support the event and get many promotional benefits. The Early Bird Deadline to get a 10% discount on sponsorship packages is April 30th. Learn more and download the Sponsorship sheet. The conference is scheduled for Sept. 24-26, 2019, in Silverton, and will be combined with the Innovation Expo. For all conference/expo information, go HERE.
MAY 1st, 2019: Abstract submissions are due for the San Juan Mining and Reclamation Conference and Innovation Expo - September 24-27, 2019. This year, the two events are combined. Registration is OPEN for accepting abstract submissions for presentations & demonstrations. The Call for Abstracts and the link to Registration can be found HERE.
MAY 2019 WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION - HEARING NOTICES
The following Notices of public triennial informational hearings have been posted on the commission’s website HERE.
"The Basic Standards for Groundwater" Regulation #41 (5 CCR 1002-41);
"Site-Specific Water Quality Classifications and Standards for Ground Water" Regulation #42 (5 CCR 1002-42);
"Dillon Reservoir Control Regulation" Regulation #71 (5 CCR 1002-71).
FY2019 Section 319 nonpoint source project funding
MAY 14th, 2019: Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony to honor an amazing story unfolding right now in the Middle South Platte River Alliance community. It's all about how a huge, $3.5 flood-recovery project came to happen despite all odds. It's about great progress for Colorado's river environment. And about a win-win in an agricultural community. With an unusual collection of players who don't often collaborate, the largest ditch company working with the feds, the state, and a local river coalition to build a new structure that accommodates fish and boats too. Click HERE for more details about government & agriculture collaborating on river project.
Help Middle Colorado Watershed Council’s project with a 5 minute survey! The Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP) is an on-going project-identifying plan that needs your support! Do you recreate on the river at all? Fish? Swim? Boat? Riverside picnic? Take their river users survey to begin to help quantify just how much waterways are used for recreation and enjoyment. Want to learn more about the IWMP? Visit this quick Post Independent column HERE.
The March 2019 Drought Update, a summary of the drought information presented at the March 19th Joint Water Availability & Flood Task Force Meeting will be posted on the CWCB website. All of the presentations from the meeting can also be found on the CWCB website.
Center for Health & Environmental Justice is exploring the possibility of working on a national campaign around water contamination. Several bills related to clean water have been introduced last year. These relate to testing school pipes, testing and repairing pipes within HUD housing, and testing and repairing older pipes in cities and towns that need new infrastructures. They are monitoring water related legislation that will be reintroduced this year. CHEJ would like to understand better where and what water concerns people in the network have in terms of drinking water, infrastructure and contaminated water sources. Please let them know whether or not there is a water related issue in your community, even if you are not working on it at this time.
Colorado Water Trust thanks their RiverBank Sponsors! Their Annual RiverBank Celebration is on June 11th at the Denver Botanic Gardens this year - check out all the cool benefits sponsors receive HERE! Would your company like to get your name out as supporter of healthy Colorado rivers, too? Click HERE to learn about sponsoring RiverBank.
The Middle South Platte River Alliance is searching for new board members. They’re undertaking some exciting projects this year, and could use some input from local river enthusiasts looking to make a positive impact on the community. This is a stellar opportunity to shape discussions concerning river resilience along a vital stretch of the South Platte. They're looking for local landowners and people representing parks & recreation, industry, and agriculture. Time commitment is a monthly 2-hour meeting to make strategy decisions and plan for future projects. Contact Rose Fry today and start helping to steer a river coalition to success: Rose Fry, Watershed Coordinator, Middle South Platte River Alliance, rfrymspra@gmail.com, 804-301-8616.